Chimney cleaner



Sept. 16, 1930. F, NEUMAN 1,775,969

CHIMNEY CLEANER Filed Oct. 26, 1929 Q Q Q Q l fia/ZmZ Ve 6 I @V/ flaw/Patented Sept. 16, 193% CHARLES 3:. NE'UMAN, F TIGERTON, 'WISCONSINCHIMNEY CLEAN EB Application filed October 26, 1929. Serial No. 402,659;

My invention refers to chimney cleaners, and has for its object toprovide a simple, economical, and effective cleaner, the arrangement andconstruction being such that the cleaner when inserted in a chimney iscollapsed, and when drawn upwardly, under sudden reverse movement, will,by gravity, expand to cause a plurality of scraper bars to engage thefour sides of the chimney.

With the above and other objects in view,

which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of' partssubstantially as hereinafter described and. more particularly defined bythe ap pended claims, it being understood that such changes in theprecise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as comewithin the scope of the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a chimneycleaner embodying the features of my invention, the same being shownexpanded within the confines of a fragmentary portion of a chimney;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the cleaner in its contracted or colsedposition;

Figure 3 is a detail cross section and enlarged view of the same, thesection being indicated on the line 33 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is anenlarged detail sectional elevation, partly in section, as indicated byline H of Figure 2.

Referring by character to the drawing, 1 represents a stem, to the upperend of which is secured a cable or runner 2, and the lower end of thestem is secured by a trip 3 to a spreader plate l. The spreader plate isprovided with a peripheral series of apertures 5 grouped in rectangularform, the apertures being arranged to receive straight portions offlexible scraper bars 6. The lower ends or" the scraper bars terminatewith transversely disposed fluted portions 6, which portions formcontact brush elements for en gagement with the four walls or" thechimney. The upper ends of the scraper bars are formed with eyes whichengage apertures 7, in a headed plate 8, said apertures being alsoformed in a rectangular group with reference to the centrally disposedstem 1, which stem is reciprocative in a central aperture 1; that is,formed in the head plate as best shown in Figure d.

The stem 1 is also guided reciprocatively in a slot 9 that is tormed inthe crotch portion of a U-shaped hanger 10, the legs of which, as bestshown in Figure 4:, are rigidly secured to the head plate 8.

Secured to the upper end of the stem 1 is a gravity release spring latch11 having a flared nose 11', as best shown in Figure 2. The lat-ch isadapted to engage the crotched end. portion or" the U-shaped hanger 10,and under normal conditions this latch will hold the apertures insuspension upon the stem, whereby the flexible scraper bars are in theirretracted position, as best shown in Figure 2 ot the drawings.

In operation, the cleaner brush as a unit is lowered into the chimneyfrom above, in its contracted position, and when it is desired to causethe cleaner to function, a quick jerk upon tr e runner 2 by theoperator, will release the head plate, scraper bars, and associatedparts, whereby they will drop down by gravity upon the stem, and in sodoing the spreader plate will ride upon the straight portion of aplurality of bars 6 to expand them to a position where their lower endswill engage the four walls of the chimney, and thus when the device isdrawn up to effect a scraping or cleaning operation, these brush ends ofthe bars will thoroughly cleanse the walls of the chimney of soot orother foreign particles, it being understood that on the under-draw ofthe cleaner, there is a constant yielding pressure exerted upon saidwalls.

I claim:

A chimney cleaner comprising a stem hav- 9;) ng a spreader plate securedto its lower end, the plate being provided with a series of aperturesbounding a polygon and grouped about the stem. a U-shaped hangerslidably mounted upon the stem with its bend at the upper end, a headplate secured to the lower end of the hanger, the head plate beingprovided with a series of apertures similar in position and number tothe apertures in the spreader plate, but arranged to form a small- 1G0er polygon, flexibl scraper bars each 'in piv otal union withanfap'ertur of the head plate" and ,p'ass'ingthrough acorrespondling''aper- I ture in the spreader plate, each bar terminab 5ing with a :scmping end; a spring catch Secured to the upper portion ofthe stem, the same being shapedto' engage the; upper. bend CollapsedWhen inserte'd in a chimnejgjand I expands incidexital to an'upwa r djerk'of the stm. 1

ln testimonyit'hat-l'claim the foregqing I haveYhGreuh-toset my hand atMarion, in the county of WVa-upaca and State of Wisconsin.

7 15 7 CHARLES 'F. NEUMAN.

of the'h'imglf, whereby theapparatusis held h

